


In Plain Sight

by CassDiV



Category: Leverage
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2009-10-26
Updated: 2009-10-26
Packaged: 2017-10-15 17:43:55
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 866
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/163263
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CassDiV/pseuds/CassDiV
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Eliot only wanted his daily 90 minutes of sleep.</p>
            </blockquote>





	In Plain Sight

**Author's Note:**

> I blame Rana. (For the fic, not the fandom.) She and Eliza beta'd. First published at http://augurscourtesan.livejournal.com/

Parker was staring at him. Eliot was nearly halfway through his requisite 90 minutes sleep for the day, and though still dozing, he could tell it was Parker by the way she sometimes forgot to breathe when she was singularly focused. That, and she smelled faintly of Sophie's perfume over Hardison's fabric softener.

He sighed, didn't bother to open his eyes. "What do you want, Parker?"

She didn't answer right away, but she was breathing again. He cracked an eyelid to see her frowning down at him from over the back of Nate's couch, wearing one of Hardison's t-shirts with Sophie's scarf around her neck.

"I'm trying to imagine you blowing out birthday candles."

Eliot squeezed his eyes shut again and scrunched up his face. Sighed once more before blinking up at her, frowning back. "What?"

"Birthday candles. You know, on cake?"

"Parker. What--"

"Hardison says it's your birthday." Eliot stared. "Your REAL birthday," she whispered, as if sharing a secret.

Eliot sat up, rolled his eyes. "It's not my birthday, Parker." He shook his head, slid his legs off the couch.

"LI-AR." Hardison pushed off the doorframe where he was leaning, punched a button on some device in his hand, and sauntered over toward the wall of television screens where Eliot was treated to his high school yearbook picture in 1080 dpi.

"Hardison." It was a warning.

Hardison ignored him and grinned, crossing his arms, and aiming his little remote at the Wall. "Allow me to introduce, from the class of 1989--"

"Hardison, I _will_ hurt you." Eliot postured, Hardison tucked the remote behind him, and Parker hooted in anticipation.

The door slammed. All three of them turned to see Nate standing just inside, eyeing them. Eliot growled as Nate's gaze went to the screens on the wall, and he did a doubletake.

"It's Eliot's birthday!" Parker barked cheerfully.

Nate looked from the screens and back to the three of them. "It's not my birthday, Parker," Eliot repeated and shrugged at Nate, who went to say something, stopped, shook his head and walked out of the room.

Hardison snickered. "Maybe it was your hair."

"Mullets were cool!" Eliot snapped, and Parker burst into a fit of giggles, falling onto the couch. "Besides," he grumbled, making another swing for the remote, "Everyone said I looked just like Joel Otto of the Stanley Cup Winning Calgary Flames."

"Mmmmm, I love a good hockey match." Sophie was coming down the stairs, and now Eliot wasn't messing around. He grabbed the remote from Hardison and pressed the power button. His six foot image disappeared.

Sophie smiled at them, and crossed her arms under her shawl as she came into the room. Parker pushed herself up on the couch, fingered the scarf around her own neck. "The way I see it, Eliot," Sophie began, moving toward him, "You have a choice." She nodded at Parker. "You can allow that it is your birthday, Or--" Parker grinned. Sophie tilted her head toward Hardison, "--You can endure memory lane paved with digital media."

Hardison reached to take his remote back. "Medi-a, my man. As in many. Plural. A multitude." He smirked and aimed at the wall of screens again.

"Fine!" Eliot snarled. "You want it to be my birthday, it's my birthday!" He ran a hand through his hair, glared at Parker. "But don't expect me to blow out candles!"

Parker clapped her hands together, and Hardison pointed at him with the remote. "I knew I had it! I waffled a bit on the month, but in the end--" he raised his hands and bowed his head. "Hide your date of birth from me." He grinned, and Eliot rolled his eyes, ran another hand through his hair.

"Cake!" Parker bounced a little. "We need cake!"

"Oo, I know the cutest little pastry shop on the west side," Sophie gushed, reaching for Parker and pulling her off the couch and toward the door. She walked backward, Parker following. "They make these adorable cupcakes with a lemon curd and buttercream frosting to die for."

Hardison handed Eliot his remote, heading for the door as well. " _Lemon Curd_ , man. Mm." Sophie held the door until Hardison was through, and winked at Eliot before letting it shut behind them.

Eliot stood alone in front of the wall of empty screens, holding Hardison's remote.

"Beer?" Eliot turned to see Nate holding a bottle out to him, a cup of coffe in his other hand.

He reached for it. "Yeah." Nate came around the couch and sat down. Eliot took a drink and sat as well.

Nate took a drink of his coffee. Eliot took a pull on the beer.

"Today's not--"

"Nope."

"It's the 29th, though."

"Yep."

"Four months from now?"

"Five."

Nate took another drink of his coffee and picked up the television remote, turned on a game. Eliot set his beer down, put his hands behind his head. He'd finish his nap after the crew returned. When there was cake. And after he got to see the look on Hardison's face when Parker returned his driver's license she swiped on her way past him out the door. The license with his actual birthdate on it.


End file.
